Europe and Central Asia (ECA) is a diverse region with varied food systems, economies, infrastructure, and climates. Sustainable development and food security are major challenges, exacerbated by socioeconomic shocks and climate change. Incorporating science-based climate and market information into agricultural planning and policies can help manage these risks effectively. This...

Pigs and poultry are the fastest growing livestock industries globally. They are the most important species in the Pacific Island countries (PICs), providing animal protein security and rural income. Pigs and poultry are monogastric animals that often compete with humans over already scarce feed ingredients such as cereal grains and...

It takes millennia for soils to form. At the same time, this raw material is finite. Overexploitation can result in nutrient depletion and soil erosion, and even to complete destruction. Climate change exacerbates these effects, for example through periods of drought or more frequent heavy rainfall. Every year, some ten million...

Publicamos el Décimo Informe sobre Acceso a la tierra y territorio en Sudamérica, un trabajo colectivo que reúne a 25 especialistas de toda la región y múltiples miradas sobre cómo la matriz extractivista se actualiza con la mercantilización de la naturaleza, a través de la economía y colonialismo verde, que...

Leptospirosis, a globally prevalent zoonosis caused by pathogenic and intermediate Leptospira species, poses significantthreats to public health and livestock industries. Despite its substantial impact, knowledge gaps persist regarding the prevalenceand genetic diversity of Leptospira strains in many regions, including South America. This study aimed to characterizea diverse collection of Leptospira...

The current impact on biodiversity and the sustainability of agri-food systems, driven by the mortality of honeybees, wild bees, and other pollinators due to the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and their lethal and sublethal effects, has guided research at laboratory, experimental field, real field, and modeling levels. These studies...

Organizations from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe that work with—or are formed by  — small farmers, Indigenous, and fishing communities gathered in Brazil to exchange experiences and, with traditional knowledge at the center, promote agroecology in their territories. What do the revival of ancestral foods in the western United States...

Traditionally, the image of Brazil’s semi-arid region has been associated with water scarcity, drought and the difficulty of producing food consistently. Yet a quiet transformation is changing that reality: rural communities in the interior of Brazil’s Northeast are adopting shrimp aquaculture as an alternative source of income, making use of...

This study explores how generative AI (GAI) tools for agricultural extension can be designed and evaluated more responsibly. While current GAI systems offer scalable, personalized advice, they often ignore the lived realities of smallholder farmers—especially women—by relying on generic datasets and rigid evaluation metrics. We investigate three complementary methods: adversarial...

Food consumption generates substantial environmental externalities that remain insufficiently addressed by public policies. Here we explore the global environmental footprints induced by food consumption in the European Union (EU27) based on a multi-regional input–output model, and assess the potential of tax policies for mitigation. Using household expenditure data, we estimate...

This report presents an overview of ICIMOD’s COVID-19–related initiatives and responses across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. It documents key interventions, partnerships, and knowledge products developed to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen regional cooperation, and address the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the pandemic. The report highlights lessons learned and identifies...

Sustainable practices enhance productivity and resilience in northern Nigeria Factsheet on the project Fostering Sustainability and Resilience for Food Security in the Savanna Zones of Northern Nigeria (GEF ID 9143) implemented by UNDP with GEF and co-financing.  Highlights include challenges, results, the approach, lessons learned, and future plans.

The HKH is a major source of food, energy, water, and a hub of cultural and biological diversity. However, the region is also highly vulnerable to climate and environment risks. We are witnessing  rapid climate change, biodiversity loss, increased pollution, and disaster risks. It is time to take urgent actions...

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), convened a meeting of the HKH Springs Alliance to foster collaboration, align efforts, and co-develop a strategic implementation plan, uniting stakeholders to ensure long-term water security and socio-ecological resilience across the region. The...

Con el apoyo de la FAO, una ganadera argentina produce en la zona de uno de los humedales más extensos de Sudamérica, planificando informadamente el manejo de las pasturas, el uso del agua y del bosque nativo.

Organic agriculture is practised in more than 180 countries, and nearly 99 million hectares of agricultural land are managed organically by at least 4.8 million farmers.Global sales of organic food and drink reached almost 145 billion euros in 2025. The 27th edition of "The World of Organic Agriculture", published by the...

Indigenous Peoples and other communities with customary tenure systems, enjoy recognitions of their legitimate tenure rights under the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security, as well as in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of...

Despite growing up in Kakheti, a well-known wine region and the agricultural heart of Georgia, Sophio Khutitdze saw herself as a doctor. She was always drawn to the sciences with chemistry and biology being her favourite classes in high school. She even applied to medical school and took the national...

Agricultural insurance and agricultural finance should work hand-in-hand, yet they have evolved as separate markets, leaving smallholder farmers dangerously exposed to climate shocks and production losses that can wipe out livelihoods and destabilise entire value chains. Despite clear evidence that insurance reduces loan defaults, improves lender capital adequacy and encourages...

At first light, Maryam Gholam Alizadeh, 42, moves among the rows of pistachios. The grove is low and spreading; its leaves catch what little moisture the morning holds. On one hectare of increasingly dry land, more than 700 trees require close attention. Maryam pauses, studies a leaf, then the soil beneath...